The Eldest Pupil
by kronosdragon
Summary: Po has defeated Tai Lung, and is training to become a better warrior, but what happens when Oogway's eldest pupil shows up and challenges him to a battle? What is in store for the young Dragon Warrior? Rated T for violence.
1. Part 1

**The Eldest Pupil-A Kung Fu Panda Fanfiction**

**I do not own Kung Fu Panda or any of its characters. The only ones I own are those not mentioned in the movie**

"Po! Wake up! You can't lie sleeping while the others are training! Get _UP_!"

Master Shifu grabbed Po by the back of the neck and yanked him out of bed, slamming him into the wall. Po, half asleep and unaware of what just happened, released a huge yawn and opened his eyes. Shifu jumped onto Po's belly and stood there, glaring down at him. When Po finally realized that the tiny figure standing on him was Shifu, he grinned.

"Good morning, Master," he said sleepily, yawning again.

"Do you have any idea what time it is?" Shifu growled.

Po glanced out the window, sunlight filtering through the mountain peaks and into his room.

"Did I oversleep?" Po yawned.

"I think we've confirmed that possibility, Po. This is the third time this week! Now, get _up_!"

Shifu slid off of Po's belly, picked him up and set him on his feet. Po looked down at Shifu, that stupid grin still slapped on his face. Shifu flattened his ears as he looked up at Po, debating whether or not to start his training right now. But, he decided against it. With Po's massive girth, he might damage something…Again.

"Alright, panda. Let us be off."

"Off? Off to where? Shouldn't I be training with—"

"No. We're going to the Pool of Sacred Tears. You are not ready to train with the Furious Five. They are still of a higher level than you, Dragon Warrior or not."

Shifu turned and walked toward the door. Po felt something was amiss, then he realized what it was.

"Master Shifu! Where's Master Uguay's staff?"

Shifu stopped in the doorway. He hadn't given much thought to the shattered staff that lay in the Jade Palace. The mention of the broken staff made his heart ache. He slid a finger down the polished wood of the doorway as he thought.

"It was broken during the fight between Tai Lung and I. Had it not broken, however, Tai Lung would have killed me."

Po could feel the pain in Shifu's voice. He wanted to say something, to comfort him, but he knew it was no use. Master Uguay had left the staff to Shifu after his passing, and now that it was broken, it was like losing a piece of him. Po cast his eyes to the floor.

Shifu straightened up and cleared his throat.

"But no matter. I'll try to fix it later. Right now, we need to get to the Pool of Sacred Tears. Come with me."

Po followed Shifu out into the cool morning air. Winter was drawing to a close, and buds were beginning to form on the trees. Po breathed deeply as the two began to climb the stairs leading to the Sacred Pool of Tears. Halfway up the stairs, Po was heaving and had to stop.

"Go on without me, I'll catch up!" he said, his ever-present optimism still showing through his gasps for breath. Shifu shook his head and continued up the stairs, smirking at Po's inability to climb the stairs. As he disappeared around an outcropping of stone, Po sat down to catch his breath. He looked up into the sky at the birds flapping overhead. Then, something huge and glittering streaked across the sky. Po jumped up and craned his neck to see what the curious object was. But, before he could determine what it was, it had disappeared. He started running up the stairs, ignoring the sharp pains in his sides.

_I have to tell Master Shifu!_

Once Po had made it to the top of the mountain, he was breathing so loudly that Shifu had trouble focusing his mind enough to meditate. So, opening his eyes to a lazy half-lid, he stood up and turned to see Po rushing toward him. Anticipating an attack, he leaped out of the way, but Po stopped where he had been standing, doubled over with his hands on his knees.

"Master! Master Shifu! I saw something! In the sky!" he panted.

"What did you see?" Shifu asked raising an eyebrow and looking up into the sky.

"I…I don't know, exactly. But it was huge! I thought it might have been a bird, but it was too long and skinny! It glittered like gold, too! It was awesome! And it moved really fast!"

"Long and skinny? It sounds like your talking about a flying snake, Po. Do you know how ridiculous that sounds?" Shifu asked, chuckling.

"Well…I, uh…hmm."

"That's what I thought. I think you're just over—"

At that moment, a huge shadow passed over them, followed by a rush of air and an earth-quaking _thud_. Shifu looked past Po, and dropped his jaw. Po slowly turned around, saying "What? What?" Then he too let his mouth flop open as he saw what had landed behind them.

A huge dragon stood before them, its snake-like body glittering with a multitude of golden scales. The long whiskers that fell from its nose billowed in the swirling wind. Shifu shielded his eyes from the wave of dust that blew in his face. The dragon folded its shining wings and looked at Shifu with great, silver eyes. The wild mane around its neck was dark grey, as were the whiskers. Po fainted from shock, but Shifu had a stern look on his face. He bowed to the dragon.

"Master Lishun."

The dragon bowed his head.

"Master Shifu."

"It has been many years. What brings you to the Jade Palace?"

"I have heard tales that the Dragon Warrior has been chosen. Where is he?"

"Ah…Um…"

Shifu looked at Po and sighed.

"This…is the Dragon Warrior," he said, looking from Po to Lishun. Lishun stepped toward Po, who was regaining consciousness. When he saw the great dragon looming over him, he passed out again.

"Is he ill?" Lishun asked, looking to Shifu.

"No. He just can't take the shock of seeing a real dragon."

Lishun let out a hearty laugh.

"And you call him the Dragon Warrior?"

Shifu couldn't help but chuckle himself.

"Master Oogway really chose _that_? That fat panda? How did you manage to train him?"

"Trust me; he's a lot more than he appears to be. He defeated Tai Lung." Shifu had a proud look upon his face.

"Tai Lung? I thought he was in prison…"

"He was, but then he escaped. I fought him in the Jade Palace, but even I was no match for his might. I would have been killed, had it not been for Po, and for that, he has my gratitude."

Lishun looked again at Po.

"I will have to challenge him when the time arises."

"What?!"

Shifu looked up at the dragon.

"Surely someone who can defeat Tai Lung will provide me with an honorable battle."

"I wouldn't, if I were you."

"And why not?"

"Because he still has much to learn in the art of Kung Fu. You will crush him in your claws!"

"Then let me see what he knows. I'll go easy on him…For the most part."

Shifu looked at Po, worry etched into his face. He twitched his tail as he thought.

"…I would rather not let him fight you until he has learned more…"

"That is not your decision to make. As the eldest pupil of Master Oogway, I am your master as well! And I _will_ challenge the Dragon Warrior!"

Shifu tensed, Lishun's voice pounding in his head. He flattened his ears in defeat.

"Very well. Once he has recovered, I will warn him of your intentions."

"You would do well to do just that. I'll not fight him when he is knocked out. I will challenge him three days from now, and I'll expect him to be ready by then."

Lishun cast the unconscious Po an expectant glance, then leaped from the mountain's edge and soared away toward the valley. Shifu stood at the edge of the mountain, watching as Lishun flew away, first diving down, then pulling up into the clouds. He emerged from clouds spiraling upward, twisting the tops into small helixes. Shifu turned around to see that Po was slowly starting to reawaken. He rubbed his head, which he had hit twice now, and sat up. He looked around, seeming disoriented for a moment, before spying Shifu.

"What just happened? I thought I saw a dragon…"

"You did."

Po first appeared scared, and then looked really excited.

"Wow! A real dragon? Really?"

"Yes. His name is Master Lishun, and he is my second Master."

"You have two masters? But I thought Oogway was your only master."

"No, I am his pupil, as well as Lishun's. Lishun is Oogway's eldest pupil, and the oldest living master of kung fu. He is above me in skill."

"Whoa…That's cool!"

"Yes, and he is going to challenge you in three days."

Po started to stutter as Shifu turned and faced the Pool of Sacred Tears. He looked at his reflection passively as Po began to freak out.

"B-but I can't fight him! I had enough trouble with Tai Lung! How am _I_ going to stand up to a _dragon_? Huh? I can't do that!"

"You _will_ do it, because as your master—as well as mine—he has demanded that you fight him!"

Shifu hopped about from rock to rock until he landed in front of Po. He held up his three fingers.

"Three days until the battle. Three days to train you as much as possible. It's time for you to start training with both me _and_ the Furious Five."

"But you said—"

"I know what I said! But time doesn't allow for us to squabble about past words! Now, let's begin!"

"Whoa, wait!"

Too late. Shifu had already grabbed hold of Po's leg and was mercilessly twirling him above his head. Po was slammed to the ground, dizzy. He stood up, wobbled for a moment, then pointed at Shifu and laughed.

"Heh, you got me there, but I won't let it happen—"

He was cut off as Shifu grabbed his finger. Po started to squirm.

"Th—That's not fair!"

"Master Lishun is a ruthless fighter, and he _will_ try to force you to submit by using every trick in the book, including the Wuxi Finger Hold. You must learn to combat this and other moves."

Po shuddered as Shifu released his finger.

"That and I don't like being pointed at."

Po watched Shifu carefully as he turned around and began walking in the opposite direction. He took a few more steps before turning around again, facing Po.

"Step forth and face me!"

Po took one step forward and was met by a volley of kicks and punches. He had trouble blocking most of them, but thanks to his thick fat, he absorbed the blows. They still hurt as Shifu's hard little fists and heels contacted his body, but it didn't last long. It took a moment for Po to get into the swing of things, but he managed to keep from sucking _too_ horribly.

Master Shifu had an incredible amount of energy, and Po just didn't have the speed or endurance to keep up. When Shifu finally jumped up and kicked him in the chest, he fell backwards and slid across the ground for a few feet. He caught his breath and stood up, panting. He held up a finger as he caught his breath.

"Wait…Please…"

He doubled over and stared at the ground, which appeared to be moving beneath him. When he looked up, Shifu was rushing at him.

"Ahhaha!" Po yelled, fearing for his face.

He ducked as Shifu jumped and aimed at his head for another kick, but Shifu flew over him and ran into a tree. He wobbled, stunned, then shook his head and flattened his ears.

"You ducked? I thought you were too tired to move!"

Po straightened up and swayed slightly.

"I had enough energy for that, apparently," he muttered.

"Apparently," Shifu repeated.

He lifted his ears, one twitching as if listening to something other than Po. He snapped his head around and looked off into the distance.

"What is that noise?" he said, agitated.

"What noise? I don't hear anything."

"Quiet!"

Po curled his lips inward at the command. He tried to hear what Master Shifu was hearing, but all he heard was the chirping of the birds. He strained not to ask what Shifu was hearing. Suddenly, Shifu turned around to see a messenger flying toward them. Po finally heard the flapping that the messenger was making. When the messenger landed, he gave Shifu a scroll and bowed.

Shifu opened the scroll, muttering an almost inaudible "thank you" as he read. His eyes darted across the paper, moving faster and faster until he reached the end. His ears flattened as his face took on an expression of outrage.

"Tomorrow?! How can he expect me to have him ready by tomorrow?!"

"I don't know, Master Shifu. I am merely the messenger."

Shifu looked over the scroll again and shook his head.

"Fine. Tell him that he will face Po tomorrow, but I can only allow him to fight in the evening, at sunset."

"Yes sir."

The messenger flew off, leaving Shifu to wonder about the safety of Po. He was quiet for quite some time. He realized that Po had been quiet for some time, too. It was unlike him to remain this quiet. He turned around, and confirmed his suspicions. Po was gone. Shifu sighed, and then walked to the edge of the mountain and looked down at the figure of Po running maniacally down the spiraling stairs. He leaped from the top of the mountain, jumping from small outcroppings of rock until he stopped in front of Po. He landed with a _whoosh_ of air, and Po stopped in his tracks.

"What do you think you're doing?" Shifu asked.

"Uh…Running for my life?"

"You'll do no such thing!"

"Master! I can't face a dragon! I can't even beat you! You know how tired I get after just a few moments of fighting you! I may be the Dragon Warrior, but Tai Lung was difficult enough!"

"Po, I knew you could defeat Tai Lung, because I believed in you enough to make myself know. Oogway would not have chosen you if he didn't think you had the strength to defeat him. If you can beat Tai Lung, then you can hold your own against me, Lishun, or any master! You just have to believe that you can do it."

Po was silent, which struck Shifu as odd. He didn't have anything to say back? Po looked down at the steps beneath his feet.

"I know. But, sometimes, I just can't focus. It's hard…"

"Kung fu in itself is hard. Even for a master, it proves difficult. Do you think that I was this good when I first started training?"

"No."

"And neither were the Furious Five. You have a gift, Po. You may not be able to train like the others, nor focus like the others, but you have a unique way of thinking that no one else has. It is that way of thinking that let you beat Tai Lung, and it is that thinking that will make you defeat me as well. You just have to believe."

Po looked down at the little red panda, wondering to himself how someone so small can have so much power, yet someone as big as he was could have so little. He turned around and started walking back up the stairs.

"Where are you going?"

"Back up to the Pool of Sacred Tears."

"Why? I thought you were running for your life."

"I know what I said."

Shifu watched Po plod up the stairs, surprised that he had used his own words against him. He followed Po, then, with a grin, jumped up in front of him and started assailing him with random blows. Po grumbled at him and blocked every strike. He pushed Shifu back up the stairs and into the flat area around the pool. He started to grin to himself as he saw how Shifu was smiling while attacking him. Shifu was having fun, so why couldn't he?

Po picked up a piece of bamboo and started to smack Shifu with it, putting him on the defensive. Shifu, however, was inching closer to the bamboo stick that he had used to train Po before the battle against Tai Lung. He ducked one of Po's blows and snatched the stick up, doing a back hand spring to evade Po. He watched the panda carefully, fully aware that he was tuckered out, yet still pushing himself to his limits. Po was breathing heavily, but he showed no signs of backing down. This was just what Shifu wanted. If he could push Po to fight beyond his weariness, then he could improve his endurance. Shifu smiled at Po.

"Tired?"

Gasping, Po said, "A little."

"Well, be prepared for a world of hurt if you let it get to you."

With that, Shifu started whacking Po with the bamboo stick. Po blocked with both his arms and the pole he held in his hands. He tried countering, but Shifu caught on quickly to what move he would make next. Po started moving forward toward Shifu, still blocking the blows he dealt him. He managed to step on Shifu's toes, causing him to growl and back away.

"That was an underhanded move!"

"So was the Wushi Finger Hold."

Shifu grumbled. With a stern expression, he leaped forward and somersaulted over Po's shoulder, but Po grabbed his tail and pulled him down to the ground. Shifu would not stand for this.

He wielded the bamboo pole and struck at Po's unprotected belly. Po felt the pole jab into his stomach and doubled over.

"Hey now! That hurt!"

"I warned you."

Shifu started hitting Po over the head and back with the bamboo, Po becoming more and more tired. But, just when Shifu was ready to deliver the final blow, Po rolled over the ground and stood at a ready stance as the stick hit the patch of stone that he had been standing on. There was a low tone as the stick vibrated violently in Shifu's hands, causing him to drop it. It clattered over the stone, rolled into the grass, and then fell over the side of the mountain. Shifu looked at Po with astonishment.

"How did you—?"

"I guess I wasn't that tired after all."

Shifu smiled.

"You have done well to disarm me, but you've only forced me to use my physical skills. I assure you,_ that_ is a bad thing."

Without warning, Shifu flew forward and started kicking Po in the jaw. He hit him once in the nose, causing Po to whine.

"Ow!"

Shifu aimed to hit Po in the gut, but Po deflected the attack with one hand while rubbing his sore nose with the other. He eventually stopped rubbing his nose and focused his attention on Shifu, who assaulted him any way possible. He frowned in concentration, watching Shifu's every move as he had when he was trying to hide the dumpling under the bowls. His eyes darted left and right, up and down, until he found an opening in Shifu's defenses. He struck Shifu with one hand under the arm he was readying to hit him with. Shifu skid across the ground on his rear, his fluffy tail acting as a cushion. He stood up, starting to breathe a little heavier.

"Very good, Po. I wasn't expecting you hit me."

Shifu suddenly disappeared in a blur of motion. Po looked around, seeing the grass sway in an unfelt wind. He watched the grass as it began to sway in his direction. He held out his hands and felt his joints strain as Shifu became visible again and slammed into his palms. Shifu jumped off of Po's hands, and landed a heavy kick right in his face. Po was sent flying backwards and hit the tall outcropping of rock that stood in the middle of the small plain. He slumped to the ground and fell on his belly, a small footprint embedded in his forehead. Shifu walked over to Po, who laid still in the grass, one eye twitching and a stunned look on his face.

"Oh…Ow…"

Shifu smiled and bowed to Po.

"Even though you could not stop my momentum, you have fought well."

Po grinned dumbly up at Shifu, who stood just a foot from his nose.

"Thanks."

"Now get up and prepare to train with the Five."

"Whuh?!"

"You heard me! You will train with the Five for the remainder of the day."

"…Yes Master."

Po grunted as he pushed himself up into a sitting position.

"Can I just…sit here for a minute? Please?"

"…I guess so."

Shifu turned and started walking down the stairs.

"Wait! Where are you going? What if that dragon comes back?"

"He won't."

Shifu continued walking down the stairs and disappeared.

From a distance, glowing yellow eyes watched Shifu as he descended the stairs. The narrow pupils flitted from him to the top of the mountain, where the silhouette of Po sat slumped against the tall stone spire. The eyes disappeared in a flurry of movement.


	2. Part 2

**The Eldest Pupil-A Kung Fu Panda Fanfiction**

**I do not own Kung Fu Panda or any of its characters. The only ones I own are those not mentioned in the movie.**

Po sat against the stone, giving himself time to catch his breath before training with the Five. The sun was inching its way towards the center of the sky, casting an orange glow through the mist that was forming over the pool. Po looked around, the mist quickly drifting over the pool and spreading through the grass. He wondered if he would be able to find the stairs. He stood up, feeling uneasy. He listened intently, trying to figure out why he felt so weird. Fear gripped his heart as he felt a rush of air rustle the fur on the back of his neck. He turned around to see a large black cat standing behind him, and for a brief moment, the thought of Tai Lung crossed his mind. But, since that wasn't possible, he took a better look at the intruder.

It wore a black kimono over pants of the same color, the kimono having been adorned with silver thread sewn to look like a twisted cherry tree losing its petals. It wore two silver rings in one of its pointed ears, but they made no sound as the cat twitched them in all directions. It stared Po down with its glittering yellow eyes. When the cat spoke, it revealed that it was a female, and the cold sting in her voice made Po shiver.

"So, you are the legendary Dragon Warrior, hmm?"

Po couldn't speak, his fear clamping his throat like a vice.

"Well?"

Po managed to clear his throat enough to mutter.

"Yes."

"I am Nightshade, the black panther. I hail from the deepest rainforest, and came to China when I was a child. I have been raised and trained by Master Lishun as his prize pupil, and it would do me great honor if I could battle you."

"Uh…I uh…I'm supposed to be training with the Furious Five right now so…If I could just scoot past you here and get down the stairs…"

Po inched his way around Nightshade, surprised that she did nothing to stop him. He could see her sleek black fur bristling, but her face remained expressionless. Suddenly, she crouched on the ground and looked like she was getting ready to pounce, baring bright white fangs. Po let out a panicked yell and started running down the stairs. There was a feral roar and the sound of padded feet thundering over the ground. Po ducked as the panther leaped at him. She sailed over his head and landed on the stairs in front of him. She stood upright and took up a ready stance, eyes gleaming.

"I never let my prey get away from me."

Po's heart was racing. If he had thought Tai Lung was scary, this girl made him look like a kitten with an attitude problem. She had an air of power that emanated from her very being. It made Po frightened yet awed. It made him want to fight her, despite what his common sense was screaming at him. He took up a ready stance as well.

"Let's do this."

Nightshade gave him a sly grin and began to unleash a multitude of vicious attacks. Her claws sprang out as she hit him in the gut. Po felt the claws hit his stomach, but they didn't hurt. It was like when Tai Lung had tried to use the nerve attack on him, but it only tickled, since you can't really find the nerve points under all of his…fur…

He laughed as she struck him again, her claws just bouncing off his belly and making him laugh harder. She looked at him with a mix of fury and confusion.

"Stop! Stop it! Don't!" Po laughed. He fell onto his back and kicked at the air.

"Quit it! No more! No more!"

Nightshade picked him up and kicked him up the stairs in her rage. He bounced to the top and she raced after him, furious. When she reached the top of the stairs, she was surrounded by the heavy mist that had formed. She looked around and listened. Po was nowhere to be seen. With a growl, she cleared the mist with one swoop of her arms. Po was still missing. Nightshade snarled and began to walk through the secluded mountaintop. She listened carefully, ears swiveling from side to side. She heard a light tap behind her and swirled around, tail twisting behind her.

"M-Master Shifu!"

She knelt on one knee and bowed to him.

Shifu looked passively from her to the top of the stone column that stood in the middle of the area. With half-lidded eyes, he asked, "What are you doing here?"

"I was…I was just…"

"Yes?"

"I was battling the Dragon Warrior, Master."

"And where is the Dragon Warrior?"

"I…um…I don't know, actually."

"Po, will you get down from that spire!"

Po stuck his head over the edge of the column.

"Um…I think I'll stay up here for now."

"Panda! Get down here!"

"I can't! It's too high!"

"Maybe you should have thought about that before you climbed up there. Now get _down_!"

Po reluctantly started climbing down the spire. He lost his footing and fell to the ground below. He sat up, rubbing the back of his head. He then turned and bowed to Shifu.

"Master…," he grunted. His back hurt.

"What were you doing up there?"

"Hiding from her," Po said, pointing to Nightshade.

"And you didn't want to fight her?"

"…No."

"Good."

"Whuh?"

"I don't want you wasting time and energy on her."

"Master, please, may I just—"

"No, you may not!"

Shifu walked up to Nightshade, his bamboo flute in hand.

"I was trying to relax and play a little music until I heard your racket. Why are you here, anyway? You're master is Lishun, and you have no place here."

"Lishun sent me to analyze the Dragon Warrior's skill. Truth be told, I cannot seem to hurt him in combat. My claws do nothing."

"Good. I don't need him to be injured before he fights your master tomorrow."

"Yes Master Shifu."

"Now get out of my sight. I don't want to see you here until the day after tomorrow. Only then can you fight Po."

"Yes sir."

Nightshade turned and bolted down the mountainside, disappearing from view. Po opened his mouth to say something, but Shifu rounded on him and closed his jaw with the end of the flute.

"I don't want to hear a word out of you! What were you thinking? You know you shouldn't waste your time on petty rivals!"

Shifu removed the flute from underneath Po's jaw and started walking down the steps for the second time that day.

"But, Master Shifu, I had no intention to—"

"Quiet! I have no toleration for excuses. Now get back to the Jade Palace and start training with the Five."

Shifu sounded disappointed, but why, Po didn't know. He seemed…agitated…but not by Po being challenged to a battle. He seemed distant, and was only yelling at Po to release pent-up anger. Po knew better than to ask questions, but he had to find out what was bothering Shifu. He followed the little red panda down the stairs and into the training hall. Shifu instructed the Five to fight with Po. Tigress rolled her eyes as Shifu left the building, slamming the door behind him. She was the first to step up.

"I'll go first. Are you ready?"

Po took up a ready stance and smiled slyly.

"I was born ready."

Tigress wasted no time in attacking Po. All of her attacks didn't seem to faze him, though. Every time she knocked him down, he just kept getting back up. He bounced back from every punch and kick that she dealt him. She was getting frustrated with him until she finally slammed him in the gut. He was quite used to this by now, and executed the same move that he had used against Tai Lung. He absorbed the shock, then redirected Tigress's power back at her and sent her flying across the room. She flew through the swinging chains, over the spinning combat statues, and landed on the flame-spewing tubes on the other side of the building. She heard the rumbling below her as the flames were rushing up toward her. She bolted across to the wooden floor beyond them as the fire burst forth from where she had landed.

She stalked over to Po, then bowed to him in respect. She backed away, and Viper slithered up to him.

Po defeated all but Viper and Mantis, mainly because they were too fast. He could hardly see Mantis anyway, so there was no way he'd be able to catch him. He had just beaten Crane when Shifu walked into the building. It was dark outside.

"I trust you've all had your fun now?"

The six warriors bowed to him and replied, "Yes Master."

"Good. Now, all of you get to bed, except for you, Po. You're coming with me."

Po looked to the Five, but they just cast wary glances back and forth to each other before hurrying off to their rooms. Po looked down at Shifu, who was looking back at him with an urgent intensity.

"Master, I'm sorry for my behavior today," Po said, hanging his head. Even though he felt like he had done nothing wrong, he knew that Shifu was upset about the ordeal, and didn't want to make him any angrier.

"No, Po. I am the one who should apologize."

Po looked at Shifu, whose gaze was on the floor.

"I had no right to release my frustration out on you. You have done nothing wrong today, and have worked as hard as I have asked you to. I'm sorry for snapping at you this morning."

Shifu returned his ice-blue eyes to Po.

"But, I believe that you have a right to know why I was so upset earlier, as it concerns you."

Shifu led Po out into the cold night air and stood at the top step to the Jade Palace. He looked down the many stairs, as if searching for the answer to a difficult question.

"Po, I have pushed you so hard today for a reason. Not because of honor, nor because of Master Lishun. I have pushed you for the Jade Palace."

Po looked at him questioningly.

"I…I don't understand…"

"Po, if you lose the match to Master Lishun, he will take control of the Jade Palace, and I will no longer be your master. He and I have had a rivalry between us for many years, and he has a clever mind that allowed him to become a master over me. If you cannot defeat him, then it would prove to him that I am an inadequate teacher, and he has wagered the Golden Palace of Devine Winds against the Jade Palace. If he wins, he will control both. If you win, however, you will gain not only his palace, but his undying respect. He may be cold, but he knows when he has been bested. So please, Po. Do your best."

Po stared with disbelief into Shifu's bright eyes. He could sense the sadness that Shifu was hiding behind his wise face. He knelt on one knee and came eye-to-eye with his master.

"I won't let you down, Master."

Shifu gave Po a genuine smile, one that Po hadn't seen since receiving the Dragon Scroll, which now sat within a glass case in his room. Shifu placed a hand on Po's shoulder.

"I know you'll do well. Whether you win or lose, you will have done me proud to fight against your instincts for the sake of the Jade Palace."

Shifu walked toward the Hall of Warriors, motioning for Po to follow to him. He opened the great doors and entered. Po was beside himself at the sight of the hall. Many of the wonderful artifacts that had once stood so proudly in their places were now scattered in the floor. The walls were cracked in several places, as were the floors and pillars. A wide-bladed sword was embedded in the floor, and a round shield had sliced into one of the jade pillars. Numerous spears and blades were lying around, and the steps to the small pool in the center were broken and dented at the spot where Shifu had nearly lain down his life to protect the Valley of Peace. Lying in one part of the floor were the two pieces of Oogway's broken staff. It was to these pieces that Shifu walked, and he gently picked them up, as if he were carrying a fragile infant. He faced away from Po to conceal the single tear that ran down his cheek, but Po heard the lonely drip that it made when it hit the floor.

He pretended not to see it when Shifu turned around, a sad grin on his lips. He walked back to Po and handed him the pieces of the staff. Po was confused. He looked at the broken staff, then to Shifu.

"I want you to have this, Po. Oogway gave it to me, and now I am handing it down to you. In the event that you lose to Master Lishun, I will no longer be your master, and if that time should come, I want you to continue on your journey with my memory."

"Master Shifu…What if I beat Lishun, though? Won't you want it back?"

"Yes, but should I fail to be your master, I just want you to be prepared."

Po then placed the staff on the floor and scooped Shifu into a hug. Shifu, appalled, didn't know what to do. All he could think to do was return the gesture, though rather awkward. He patted Po on the back, then cleared his throat.

"Now, now, I don't want you crushing me. Let me go before you suffocate me.

That Shifu, always so sarcastic. Po let go, smiling down at him. He had a few tears in his eyes, but he wiped them away before Shifu could get onto him for it. To his surprise, Shifu was smiling back at him, his expression soft.

"Go get your rest, Po. You have a busy day tomorrow."

"Yes Master."

Po turned around and made for the door.

"Oh, and Po!"

Po looked at Shifu.

"…Good luck."

Po grinned, bowed to his Master, picked up the broken staff, and left the Hall of Warriors, perhaps for the last time. As he walked to the bunk house, a pair of yellow eyes watched him intently from atop the hall's roof. Nightshade was crouched on one of the roof's pointed corners. Her eyes were wide. She had heard all about the wager between her master and his. She felt sorry for the panda. No one should have to fight with that weight on their shoulders. She looked up at the glowing crescent moon, eyes flashing. She dropped her gaze back down to the retreating form of the Dragon Warrior. She sighed, then leaped from the roof and chased after him. She vaulted over his head and landed in front of him. She startled the panda, and noticed that, in the light of the moon, tears were glistening on his fur. He looked around wildly, then hurriedly wiped his eyes. The stars reflected in Nightshade's yellow eyes as she cast her gaze upward.

"I'm not here to fight you, Po."

Po rubbed his eyes to further dry them before looking Nightshade in the eye.

"Then why are you here?" he asked, his voice wavering on the edge of sadness and anger. He was trying to act like he hadn't been crying, but his voice gave it away as clear as day. Nightshade stared him in the eyes and took a step closer.

"I'm here to offer you advice."

Po was silent. The panther continued.

"My Master would punish me severely if he found out that I was trying to help you, so feel honored that I would even speak to you at this point. Master Lishun is not a force to be messed with. However, he does have one weakness. Moonlight."

Po's ears perked.

"Moonlight? What do you mean?"

"His power is strongest in the afternoon, when the sun is full. When darkness falls, he becomes weaker, but no less dangerous. He will try to use ancient arts known only to the Mythic Masters, which include himself, Master Phoenix, and Master Kirin. Oogway was once one of the Mythic Masters, but since he is now gone, there are only three left. Oogway was the oldest of them all, and the remaining three are his pupils, and he taught them many secret arts. I have seen my Master use these arts and they are something to be feared. You cannot back down from this fight, but you _can_ use certain elements against him. That is all I can say for now. I have already said too much, and Master Lishun is bound to learn of my whereabouts if I stay any longer. I must leave you, Dragon Warrior, but keep my words in mind. You'll need any hints you can get."

And with that, Nightshade vanished into the hillside, running at breakneck speed. Po wondered if she was to be trusted. She was, after all, the pupil of his foe. He looked up into the sky, wondering if Master Oogway was watching from above. The Master's words echoed in his mind;

_There are no accidents…_


	3. Part 3

**The Eldest Pupil-A Kung Fu Panda Fanfiction**

**I do not own Kung Fu Panda or any of its characters. The only ones I own are those not mentioned in the movie.**

Po walked into the bunk house and into his room, ignoring the floor's protests. He lay on his mat and attempted to sleep. He drifted into a dream of the dragon's face howling with laughter. He slowly returned to consciousness early in the morning, and he heard the patter of feet in the hallway and voices saying, "Good morning, Master." He heard Shifu speaking to the Five.

"Shouldn't we wake him?" he heard Viper hiss.

"No," said Shifu. "We'll let him sleep this morning. He has a tough evening later. We might as well let him dream a little longer."

Po listened to the footsteps of the Five fade away. The black panther's words passed through his thoughts again. He sat up and yawned. He wouldn't be getting any extra sleep this morning, not with what he had to look forward to. He stretched and walked outside. The air was crisp and cool. A good omen, perhaps? He breathed deeply, savoring the sweet, clean scent of the mountains before the sun rose high enough to clear the mist. It left a cool touch in his lungs. Po smiled up at the clear sky. He felt like this would be a good day. Master Oogway would watch over him, he knew it.

Po walked into the training area. He saw the Furious Five enter the training hall with Shifu and the doors shut behind them with a loud boom. Po, determined to prove that he was worth the dragon's time, began to execute moves on his own. He imagined himself attacking that jeering face, sending the dragon flying into the air. He closed his eyes and fought with the imaginary dragon. He tried to feel the heat from Lishun's breath as he spewed fire at him, and he dodged the attack whilst springing to the side. He fell down on the ground after losing his balance, but bounced right back up. Then, it hit him. He opened his eyes.

"Water…Water can douse his fire! I can use water against him!"

Clouds were gathering in the east over the rising sun. A cold breeze began to blow.

Po continued to practice his fighting techniques outside the training facility. The dirt swirled around him as he spun and kicked, the air pulling up off the ground. He moved his arms like flowing tree branches, gently moving the air to push the dust away from him. He suddenly became aware that he was being watched, and turned around to see Shifu standing in the doorway to the building, staring at him with a strange look in his eyes. Po couldn't tell if it was confusion or not, but that's what it looked like to him.

"M-Master Shifu!" he stuttered. He looked at the cloud of dust that was settling a little ways away from where he'd been standing.

"I was just…uh…"

"You were controlling the movement of air?"

"Uh…I guess so?"

"I haven't taught you that, yet here you are moving the air like you know what you're doing!"

Po looked at the cloud of dust that was sinking to the ground. He smiled sheepishly at Shifu.

"I was just trying to get it out my face so I could breathe."

"I should think that you succeeded."

Shifu watched as the last bit of dust settled. He walked over to Po, then, with a series of fluid movements, brought up a small, twisting vortex of dust. He then pushed out with his arms and sent the dust cloud moving toward the wall around the training area. It hit the wall and dissipated into nothing. Shifu looked up at Po and said, "Now, you try."

Po had watched Shifu's movements, and tried to execute them. He failed at making the dust cloud swirl, but he did bring up a puff of dirt that drifted slowly into the air. He then pushed outward with his arms as Shifu had done, and the air rushed forward and sent the cloud into the wall.

"That's good enough for now. You can continue practicing if you want, but when you're done, visit me in the Hall of Warriors."

Shifu walked away through the great red doors that led from the training hall. The doors boomed shut, and Po stared at them for a long time. He decided that he would take in all that he could of the Jade Palace, since he may have to leave it soon. If Shifu would no longer be his master, then he would not stay at the Jade Palace, even if Master Lishun wished it. He would leave alongside Shifu, and maybe even the Five, if they decided to leave as well. He would happily help Shifu build a new palace, even grander than the Jade Palace, but he would not leave him. Not after all that Shifu had done for him.

Po was now doubly determined to improve himself. He had to fight a Mythic Master this evening, and he would not lose!

Shifu wandered into the Hall of Warriors. He firmly shut the door behind him and walked up to the small pool in the center of the room. He looked down at his reflection, whiskers swaying in the draft from the hole in the roof. He looked up to see clouds gathering overhead. It would snow today. He looked back down at his reflection, wondering what would happen during the battle between Lishun and Po. Po was young, how could Lishun challenge him while forcing Shifu to wager his palace? Po was still inexperienced, compared to Shifu, yet Lishun and his cold heart wanted to fight him for the Jade Palace. It wasn't fair, not only to Shifu, but to Po. The panda was pushing himself beyond his limits to prove himself against Lishun, and to make Shifu proud. A small, painful tear escaped from Shifu's eye and fell into the pool, causing ripples to spread across the surface. He dropped to his knees.

"Master Oogway, why did you have to leave me so soon? I need your help…"

But Oogway's words echoed in his mind like they had so many times before.

_No, you just need to believe_…

Shifu felt a cold wind rush from above, a thud behind him shook the floor.

"It is too early for you to be here, Master Lishun. It is not yet sundown."

"Must it be sundown for me to want to see how my old friend is holding up on our deal?"

"I never go back on my word, not when I am forced by my Master."

"Ah yes, I forgot about that part."

Lishun chuckled deep in his throat.

"Let's just hope your little 'Po' will be able to defeat me. After all…"

Lishun leaned close and whispered in Shifu's ear, "He is the one who brought peace to you. But, can he keep that peace?"

Shifu, his back still turned to the dragon, flicked his ear. The dragon's breath tickled the little hairs within. Lishun launched himself back into the air, bursting from the roof of the hall. His golden body, no matter how beautiful, glittered with an ominous glow as the clouds slowly concealed the reddish light of the sun. Shifu lowered his head and gazed into the pool.

_There are no accidents…_

"Po will not lose, because I believe in him. He will defeat Lishun as he has defeated Tai Lung, because I will it to be."

_You must let go of the illusion of control…_

"Po will not lose…"

Shifu heard the creak of the doors opening, and turned his head to one side, his cheek just barely visible. Po sidled in through the doors and closed them behind him. He approached Shifu, and then realized his fur was glimmering with moisture.

"Master Shifu? Are you alright?" he asked, cautiously continuing his approach. Shifu sat as calmly as he could to keep his shoulders from shuddering. He took a deep breath, relaxed, and stood up, passing his sleeve over his face as nonchalantly as possible before turning to face Po, eyes glittering.

"Yes, I'm fine. What about you? How are you doing?"

"Um…Fine, I guess."

"Good."

A few silent moments passed before Shifu cleared his throat and spoke again.

"I believe that you will defeat Master Lishun, Po."

Shifu could tell that the panda didn't fully believe himself that he could beat Lishun, so Shifu walked up to him and placed a tiny hand on Po's arm.

"You will do well."

Po looked down at the little red panda. Shifu was smiling up at him reassuringly, and this gave him heart. He smiled back.

"Thanks, Master. I'm glad to know that you believe in me."

"I could never doubt you, not after you defeated Tai Lung."

"But, Master, what if I can't beat Lishun? What will you do then?"

"…I will have to resign. I will have to leave the Jade Palace and go out on my own. Maybe I could build a home for myself in the mountains."

"Wait, so you won't be building another palace? You're just going to give up?"

"I am aging, Po. I would not live to see the day that another palace rose for my students to train in. I would be long gone."

"What if we helped? We're faster and stronger than anyone else!"

"It would still be many years before a new palace could be built. You all will outlive me no matter what."

This stung Po's conscious. He knew that Shifu would die one day, but he hadn't thought much about the slowly approaching event. Even if he were to live another fifty years, Po would still live to see his master die. Now, the thought weighed on him like a ton of stone. He lowered his eyes to the floor.

"Master…I really don't think that I can beat Lishun. And, if I can't, then you'll have nowhere to go, and I'll be making noodles again."

"No. You will continue your journey with or without me. You will find another master, you and the Five."

"But none will be able to amount to you, Shifu. How could I serve another master?"

"You will because I told you to. You wouldn't deny me this last wish if the worst should come."

Po raised his eyes to look at Shifu's stern face.

"Yes Master."

Shifu nodded appreciatively at Po before turning around and heading back toward the moon pool. He stared into the clear water, the few remaining peach petals drifting atop it. Po, with slouched back and pouting lips, left the Hall of Warriors. Shifu stood over the glowing pool and glared down at his reflection, his fur ruffled in agitation. Not at Po, no but at Lishun and his dark heart. He must have had the ability to shield his heart from Oogway, else the great tortoise would not have trained him so well. The dragons scheming mind made him clever and quick with words, and perhaps it was this that made Oogway like him so much. Had Oogway seen him as Shifu had seen him, then he would never have made him one of the legendary Mythic Masters. Would Oogway see him now, he would have been broken hearted at the knowledge that the dragon had deceived him for so many years. It made Shifu feel sick at the thought. Oogway deserved better than Lishun. In Shifu's eyes, Lishun was just as bad, if not worse, than Tai Lung.

Shifu shook himself from head to tail, trying to rid himself of the negative thoughts. He took this time to sit down next to the pool and meditate. In his mind's eye, he received a vision.

_Po was fighting against Lishun, his steps weary and faltering. He stood, wavering, and took up a ready stance. Claws as sharp as blades flashed into view and slashed at his face. Po's white fur had four bright streaks of red splashed across his cheek. Tigress and Crane came into view with looks of absolute terror on their faces. Po wavered, and Shifu noticed a dark splotch over one of Po's eyes. The vision zoomed in on Po, who continued to stand firm, though clearly beaten. Lishun's horrible laugh rang throughout the vision. Po remained in his ready stance, even after having his face torn by Lishun's claws. He refused to give up. Shifu found himself thinking, _just stop, Po…Just give up…Don't let him hurt you anymore!_ But Po would not stand down. He already looked inches from fainting, if not death. Lishun struck at the tiring Po again, Po just barely able to push aside the blow before the dragon's claws came into contact with his gut._

_Lishun was grinning and Viper scowling as she slithered into Shifu's view. She turned to Shifu and hissed something to him, but he could only hear his own voice saying, "No, Lishun will kill you before you have a chance to help." Shifu tried to close his eyes in the vision as Po was struck again, and again, and again. Po looked at Shifu, who stared back at him with a mixture of agony and fear. Shifu was willing Po to stop, to just walk away, but Lishun gave him no chances. The dragon hit Po once more, sending him across the field and slamming him into the wall that Shifu recognized as the one around the Jade Palace. Po hit the wall with a sickening thud, yet he bounced off and hit Lishun in the face with his girth. Lishun hit the ground and looked at Po with a shocked expression. Po got to his hands and knees, attempting to stand, but the snow that was rapidly covering the area made him lose his balance and fall back down. Lishun took the opportunity to attack, and this time, Po could not bounce back. Lishun spread his wings, leaped into the air, climbed a few dozen feet, then dove at the panda, who lay gasping on the snow. There was a small explosion, sending clumps of snow into the air. Lishun stood up and walked away from Po. The panda lay on his stomach, eyes closed and wheezing. In the vision, Shifu, along with the Furious Five, rushed to Po's side and attempted to keep him conscious. Lishun laughed hardily and said, "That was a good fight, but it seems that even the Dragon Warrior cannot defeat me. You have one week to pack your things and get out of my palace. When I return, no one had better be here."_

Shifu fainted after the vision dissipated like smoke.

He was awakened by Tigress, who was gently calling his name.

"Master Shifu…Master Shifu, wake up. Master Lishun has arrived, and is getting ready to fight Po!"

Shifu stirred, and after remembering his vision, he leaped up and took Tigress's hand.

"Tigress! You have to stop that fight! I have had a vision…And Po will be seriously injured if we don't stop that fight from happen—"

There was a rumble from outside that sounded like thunder. It was too late. The fight had begun. Shifu dashed out of the Hall and looked around frantically. Tigress followed him out to the main entrance of the Jade Palace. She had a confused look on her face.

"Master, what is going on? Why has Master Lishun come to fight Po?"

"Because of another one of my mistakes."

Shifu sprung forward and ran toward the main entrance, leaving Tigress to stand at the top of the stairs leading to the Hall of Warriors. She thought about the meaning to what Shifu had said, but after hearing another rumble like the one before, she decided to head down to the entrance herself. Maybe there, she could find out what was really going on.

Shifu met Monkey, Crane, Mantis and Viper at the battleground, where Lishun was diving at Po. Po looked to be in good shape, and had his usual optimistic attitude. He smiled as he blocked several of Lishun's attacks, then turning around and using the dragon's strength against him. He even managed to step on Lishun's tail twice before the dragon rounded on him and spewed a stream of fire where he had been standing. Snow was falling heavily from the thick, grey clouds overhead. Shifu learned that the rumbling he had heard earlier was from Lishun after having his tail stepped on. Shifu closed his eyes and hoped with every fiber of his being that his vision was wrong. The fight went on for hours. The sun was hanging low over the valley, casting its red glow into the mountains. Po was getting tired, despite all of his hard work to increase his endurance.

By this time, Tigress had joined the rest of the onlookers. She watched with a pained expression as Lishun thwacked Po in the eye, turning his eyelids dark. She wanted so badly to help him, but both Lishun and Shifu had forbidden anyone to step in when things got ugly.

_This is taking it easy?_ Shifu thought to himself. _This is murder! Lishun will kill Po if I don't do something! But, Lishun will kill us all if I step in. What will I do? If Oogway were here, this would have never happened! How could he let me do this alone?_

Shifu looked on as Po rubbed his eye.

"Ow...," he moaned.

Lishun laughed and attacked Po again. Po swatted at the dragon's talons when they came within reach, knocking them aside. He scowled and swiped at the dragon when he came near, but his nubby claws and round hands just bounced off the dragon's scaly hide. He tried to recover, but Lishun was too fast. He punched Po hard enough in the gut to send him across the battlefield. Po, winded, lay on the ground gasping for breath. If he had thought Shifu's punches were painful, the dragon made it feel like he'd been hit with an iron mace weighing two tons. Po scrambled to get up, but he was really worn out. He tottered on his feet before falling to his knees. He got up again, grabbing a fistful of snow. He chucked the snowball at Lishun, and it splattered against his snout. Steam erupted from his nostrils, then he shook off the snow and breathed a jet of fire at Po. The fur on his back was singed when the flames hit it as he ran, but it did nothing else. Po, smirking, picked up another glob of snow and hurled it down the dragon's throat as he opened his maw to spew fire again. There was a gurgling sound, and then Lishun hiccupped. He tried to breathe fire again, but the snowball had hit his inner fire, and doused it.

With a terrible roar, Lishun lunged at Po and began pulling off fighting styles Po had never seen before. They were fast and powerful, faster than anything Tai Lung could have done. He saw Lishun preparing for a nerve attack, and he batted the dragon's claws aside. Outraged at being thwarted, Lishun leaped forward and tackled Po. He kicked and punched Po as they rolled over the snow. Lishun finally aimed a well-placed kick right in Po's middle that sent him skidding across the ground. Po had created a small crater where his body had gouged at the ground. He stood up, battered and beaten. He took up a ready stance. Shifu saw this coming, and was horrified to have to watch this happen again. He flinched when Po was slashed in the face. Viper slithered up to him.

"Master Shifu! Let us go in there! We have to help Po! He's going to get himself killed!"

"No. Lishun will kill you before you have a chance to help…"

Shifu gasped at the sound of his words ringing through his mind. Viper hissed and backed away. Tigress watched in horror as Po's fur was stained red with his own blood. The snow was thick now, and it was getting colder. Po stood again, and barely swatted away Lishun's next attack. Shifu willed him to stop, but Po would not give in.

_This is for you, Master. This is for the Jade Palace. I won't give in!_

Po stood, wobbling. Lishun was too fast for his weary eyes. He felt a little faint, and his legs hurt. His gut ached from all the kicks and punches he had received. He couldn't even harm the dragon. His nails were blunt and he was too soft. He really couldn't do much to the dragon other that step on his tail. He was lucky to have put out Lishun's fire so he couldn't burn him. His eye hurt something fierce, and he couldn't see through the swollen eyelids. He barely caught a glimpse of gold as Lishun barreled into him. He felt like he was being hit by another ton of stone, right in his back. The ground quaked beneath him as he was pushed down into the dirt and snow. A small crater rose around him, and then the pressure stopped. His back popped in several different places and the dragon walked away. Po's arms wobbled as he tried to push himself back up, his left arm stinging and aching, but as the dragon's triumphant laughter reverberated through the air, he knew it was over. His arms went limp, and before he faded out of consciousness, he could hear the patter of feet and the beating of wings.


	4. Part 4

**The Eldest Pupil-A Kung Fu Panda Fanfiction**

**I do not own Kung Fu Panda or any of its characters. The only ones I own are those not mentioned in the movie.**

Shifu knelt next to Po and reached a hand out to touch his forehead. Po's eyes were closed and he was barely breathing. The snow around his face was slowly turning red as it soaked up the blood that was leaking from both his mouth and his face. A couple of his teeth were missing, and his eye looked horrible. Shifu knew the price of fighting, but it should never have escaladed into this. Tigress knelt next to him, head bowed, eyes searching Po's body and watching the shallow rising and falling of his back as he breathed. Crane turned to look at Master Lishun, anger etched into his face. Monkey, with Mantis on his shoulder, tried to rouse Po, but to no avail. He was thoroughly knocked out. Viper, her expression soft and pitying, examined Po's bloodied face.

"This shouldn't have happened," she whispered softly. "No one should want to harm Po this badly. He doesn't deserve this kind of torture."

Shifu flattened his ears, like so many times before. This time, he didn't hide it. Tears welled up in his eyes and fell from his cheeks. The Five said nothing, for they all shared their master's pain.

"This is all my fault," he muttered. Tigress looked at him, her face stern, but her eyes soft.

"Master?"

"Because of Lishun, I had to force Po to fight him. And, should he lose, Lishun would take over the Jade Palace."

The Five gasped and looked at him in shock.

"Then…You knew this would happen? Yet you let Lishun _destroy_ Po?" Monkey asked, frowning.

"No, I had no idea that Po would be harmed so badly by Lishun. Lishun is a dark-hearted being that should never have been trained by Oogway."

"Master Oogway trained him?" Mantis asked.

"Yes, and taught him many arts that even I don't know."

The Five were silent, shocked and appalled at this information. Lishun's laugh still rang in the air.

"That was a good fight, but it seems that even the Dragon Warrior cannot defeat me.You have one week to pack your things and get out of my palace. When I return, no one had better be here."

Lishun suddenly let out a raspy growl. Shifu turned around at the sound of padded feet. He saw the golden dragon rounding on someone. He stood up and examined this newcomer.

She was a beautiful black cat of some sort, with silver rings in one ear and short, silky fur. Her eyes were bright yellow. Shifu remembered her from the mountain after she had tried to fight Po. It was Nightshade, the black panther. Shifu didn't understand. What was she doing here?

"Master Lishun! Enough of this nonsense!"

Her voice rang clear in the cold air, sharp and demanding. Lishun growled at her.

"Who are you to disrespect me in this way? You are not to tell me what I can and cannot do!"

"Master Lishun! I challenge you for ownership of the Jade Palace!"

Lishun let out a cold laugh.

"You? My own student dares to turn against me? Fine! We will fight for the Jade Palace. Either way, Master Shifu—"

Before Lishun could say more, Nightshade aimed two fingers at his heart and hit him three times in one specific place. Golden ripples of light passed across his chest and his legs went limp. Shifu now saw what she was doing. Lishun may have been covered with scales, but he was missing five of them on his chest, the only exposed part on him. Nightshade could only use this area to immobilize his legs and tail, but he ran his mouth like nothing else.

"How dare you! Where did you learn that art? I never taught you to do that!"

He roared, but it dwindled into a whimper when Nightshade lifted one of his arms and firmly held one of his clawed fingers in hers. He rumbled deep in his throat.

"Y-You wouldn't use that on your Master, would you? You wouldn't betray me like that! Not after all that I've trained you!"

"I would, because you may have trained me in the art of fighting, but you leave much to be desired when it comes to the art of kindness. Po is a kind warrior who has never done anyone wrong, and you harmed him to within an inch of his life."

Nightshade's teeth flashed menacingly as she spoke. She hissed every word, biting into Lishun's mind with every syllable.

"And now, I will do what should have been done a long time ago. I may be your pupil, but I have seen what you've done, and that panda has more heart in his pinky than you have in all of your body."

Lishun flinched as Nightshade brought her pinky down. In a wave of blue energy, the Wuxi Finger Hold did its job, and Master Lishun was no more. Nightshade dusted off her clothes and walked over to Master Shifu. She got on one knee and bowed to him.

"Master Shifu, forgive me for the treachery you have witnessed."

"To me, this was no treachery, but a blessing. You have freed me from Master Lishun's power. He did not deserve to have control over me. You have done well."

Nightshade nodded to him and drew herself up to her full height. She started towards Po, who still lay silent in the snow. She placed a paw on his head.

"You were magnificent, Po. You may not have beaten Lishun, but you taught me an important lesson. Power is not everything."

She then turned to Shifu.

"I'm giving ownership of the Jade Palace back to its rightful owner. Master Shifu, I know now that you have something that I never had. You have a bond with your students that I could never have had with my master. For that, I envy you. But, I also respect that you can feel more than the desire for power."

With that, Nightshade turned and began to walk away.

"Wait! Nightshade!"

The black panther faced Shifu.

"Where will you go now? Why not stay with us at the Jade Palace? You can train with the Five and Po."

"I can't do that. I will go back to my home in the rainforest, and there, I will teach the meaning of harmony and focus to my brethren. I will teach them my story, and I will tell them of the panda Po, the legendary Dragon Warrior, who taught me an important lesson."

Nightshade walked away and left through the doors of the entryway. Shifu and the Five watched her as she descended the stairs and disappeared from view. Shifu smiled as he watched her go. She knew where she belonged, and that was an important virtue to have. Shifu was glad to see her go. He returned his attention to Po. He ordered Crane and Mantis to go to the supply and get bandages. They hurried off to one of the buildings beside the main hall. Tigress, Monkey, Viper and Shifu stayed by Po's side. He was breathing a little better, but it was still labored and shallow. Shifu felt terrible for bringing this upon the panda. If Oogway had been there, Shifu knew that he would be very disappointed.

The red panda examined the gashes in Po's cheek. They were deep, ragged cuts that would most likely leave scars. Shifu took some clean snow and placed it over Po's swollen eye. Crane and Mantis returned with bandages and herbal medicine to help the wounds heal. Mantis helped Shifu apply the medicine and bandages. They then examined Po's back. He had very minor burns; mostly it was just his fur that had been singed. But, he did have some massive bruises in the small of his back from being flung into walls and into the ground. Some splotchy raw spots were scattered over his back and on his legs. After analyzing Po's hands and arms, he found that Po's left forearm was broken in two places. He shook his head sadly.

"He'll be restricted to his room for a long time. These wounds will heal, but not for a while. He definitely won't be training for some time, not with his arm like that."

When he took a roll of cotton gauze and began to patch Po's bloody cheek, the panda's good eye fluttered as he started to regain consciousness. He coughed and spat out a piece of a tooth, along with some blood from a bitten tongue. He moaned and looked up at Shifu, who had his nose close to Po's.

"Oh…Ow…M-Master…I'm s-sorry."

Po coughed again. Shifu shushed him. The Five gathered around him, glad that he was able to return to them. They looked both happy and sad. Shifu put a hand on Po's forehead.

"You've done well, Po. I still control the Jade Palace, and you won't have to worry about Lishun ever again."

"But…I don't understand…"

"A friend of ours was able to stop Lishun, only because she knew her master well."

"…Nightshade?"

"How did you guess?"

"She…seemed better than to let Lishun get away…with all that he did."

"I see…Now hush. We'll help you get to your room. You'll have to rest for a long time before you can get out and train again."

"…Okay."

Po tried to push himself up, but the sharp pains in his left arm made him flop back to the ground.

"Careful, Po! Your left arm is broken, you cannot bear weight on it!"

Shifu and the Five helped Po get onto his weak legs. Tigress carried one of his arms, Crane the other, careful not to injure him any further. He took one careful step forward, wobbled on his aching legs, and then took another step. His face was firm with concentration, but an indescribable heartache showed in his eyes, and only Shifu could see this sadness before Po began to hobble up the stairs. After the first few, he tried to get Tigress and Crane to let him be, but they would not leave his side. His expression was no longer optimistic or smiling, but hard and unwavering. Something within him had snapped, and Shifu knew that the fight between Lishun and Po did more than just break his bones or scar his face. It had broken his spirit, and scarred his heart, for Po knew that if Nightshade hadn't been there, he would have lost the Jade Palace, his friends, and his Master. Shifu had finally overdone it. He had put too much on Po's shoulders, and when he had fallen, it would be tougher than anything to bring him back up.

Shifu stared down at the ground as he headed up to the Hall of Warriors.

"Master? What should we do now?"

Shifu was quiet for a minute, thinking.

"Go make sure Po is alright. After that, you may have the rest of the day to what you like."

The remaining three watched Shifu with concern as he ascended the stairs to the Hall of Warriors. They cast glances at each other before going to help Tigress and Crane get Po to his room.

Po sat on his mat as Monkey tended to his broken arm. Po sat slumped, a cold look on his face that made Monkey question as to whether he was fully there or not. Po looked distant, focusing on nothing yet staring at the floorboards with a fiery intensity. Monkey saw none of the humor or mirth that once shone in Po's deep, greed eyes. The panda refused to look at anyone. Monkey finished making a sling for Po's arm, then left Po alone in his room, only looking back at him as he closed the door. There was the glimmer of a tear as it streaked down his bandaged face. The flickering light of the candle illuminated this single tear as it made its way down to splash on the floorboards, followed by its brothers as they escaped from Po's eyes. They were the only true evidence of the pain that the gash in Po's heart caused him. He had fought, and believed, and his Master had believed in him as well, but it wasn't enough to help him defeat Lishun. True, the dragon was gone now, but he had left behind a shard of glass that had embedded itself in Po's mental being, and it caused him pain no matter what he did.

Po looked up, startled, as the door to his room slid open. He wiped away the angry, painful tears that wet his fur. Shifu stepped into the light of the flickering candle, and beheld the mess that Po had been reduced to. His own student, one of his kin, for he thought of his students as his sons and daughters, had been reduced to nearly nothing.

Po gave Shifu a sidelong glance, and then turned away from his master with a pained look upon his face. Shifu shut the door behind him, approached Po, and sat down in front of him. The panda still refused to look at Shifu. He was breathing roughly, as if restraining the urge to shout. Shifu was lost for words. It was unlike Po to refuse to look at his master.

"Po…No one blames you for what happened…"

Po's face softened slightly, going from cold restraint to quiet sadness.

"I know, but if Nightshade hadn't—"

"It is in the past. Let it go."

Po whipped his head around to stare coldly into Shifu's searching eyes.

"Let go? How can I let go? I could have lost the Jade Palace!"

"But you didn't!" Shifu snapped, his face stern.

Po recoiled slightly. He sighed and relaxed his tense shoulders.

"…You're right. But…but I may have never gotten to see you again; you or the Five."

Tigress sat on her bed, listening to the conversation between Po and Shifu. She wanted to know what was really wrong with Po. After she and Crane had helped him to his room, he wanted everyone out but Monkey, who was wrapping his broken arm. He wouldn't even look at any of the warriors, and Tigress knew he was hurting, but the sting of pain and remorse in his voice made her jaw clench with worry. She had never really thoroughly liked the panda, his clumsiness and silliness clashing with her well-disciplined attitude, but that didn't mean that she didn't respect or care about his well-being. She wished she could make the pain stop, because it starting to spread around, even into her hardened, warrior's heart.

Shifu was touched by Po's words. He couldn't help but smile at the panda's kindness.

"I almost lost everything I've work so hard for. I almost lost you guys…"

Shifu saw the painful tears in Po's eyes, glistening on the edge of his eyelids. The swelling had gone down over Po's black eye, but it left a nasty bit of bruising. Po's shoulders shook in a silent sob. Shifu jumped when Po's good arm suddenly shot up and covered his face. No matter how hard he tried, the tears wouldn't stay put and they fell in quiet streams down Po's cheeks. Shifu wasn't sure what to make of this. He wasn't used to dealing with tears, whether it be a pupil's or his own. But, he mustered up the gentlest emotion he could, reached up, and lightly pulled Po's arm away from his face. Even Shifu could see that Po was ashamed for letting his self-loathing get the better of him.

With a soft smile, Shifu put his arms around what he could reach of Po's giant belly. Po did nothing for a moment, astonished that Shifu, the greatest kung-fu teacher in China, would willingly show any form of affection toward anyone. Po's expression softened more into a sad smile. He wrapped his good arm around Shifu's small body, enveloping him in soft black fur. Shifu felt strange hugging one of his students, but it felt nice to be kind to someone who returned your kindness just as warmly. Po closed his tear-dampened eyes and sniffed.

He then released Shifu, who stood on the floor in front of him. The little red panda patted Po's shoulder.

"All will be well, Po. You will heal and you will learn from your mistakes, as I have."

"It wasn't your fault that Lishun had power over you. It was his fault that I'm like this, not yours."

"But I still hold some responsibility for what happened. I should have fought him myself, rather than let him nearly kill you."

Shifu gave Po a sad grin before leaving the room. Po watched him leave, his expression questioning.

Tigress watched Shifu as he walked down the hall to his room. She saw the sadness in his gait as he walked with his slight limp. She felt sorry for Po. She knew this had to be hard on him, and his wounds would only make it worse, but she never thought that he would blame himself so harshly for nearly losing the Jade Palace. He had stood so firmly against Lishun, and this awed her. He knew he had been beat, and had it been her, she would have given in before letting Lishun injure her so badly. True, she would have fought longer and more furiously, but she would not have outlasted Po, whose determination to defeat Lishun kept him bouncing back. But, after so much torture, even his spirit broke, and she hadn't seen that light of optimism that usually shone in his deep green eyes. The black-hearted dragon had been destroyed, but his memory would haunt Po for quite some time.


	5. Part 5

**The Eldest Pupil-A Kung Fu Panda Fanfiction**

**I do not own Kung Fu Panda or any of its characters. The only ones I own are those not mentioned in the movie.**

Shifu sat quietly in his room as he listened to the wind blowing outside his window. The Five were either asleep or just being very quiet. His ear twitched this way and that, listening to the silence and the wind. The squeak of the floorboards in the hallway made him start. He opened his eyes and saw the shadow of Tigress outside of his door.

"What is it you want?" he asked roughly.

"Master…May I speak with you?"

"Do you know how late it is?"

"Please…"

Shifu sighed.

"Very well, but make it quick."

Tigress slid open the door to his room. She closed it quietly behind her and knelt down to Shifu's level.

"Master…About Po…"

Shifu's ears flicked forward.

"What about him?"

"He's…gone."

"What?!"

Shifu scrambled up.

"What do you mean he's gone?"

"I saw him leave his room and go outside."

Shifu looked confused.

"But…I would have heard him! The floorboards squeak whenever he walks on them."

"He didn't walk down the hall. He opened his window and crawled out."

Shifu passed Tigress in the doorway.

"Where'd he go?"

"I don't know, Master. I saw him head toward the trees…"

Shifu dashed down the hallway, Tigress following close behind.

"Do you have any idea why he would risk hurting himself?" Shifu asked her.

"…No."

In truth, she did know. Po had opened the window and crawled out because there was a voice calling on the wind. She had heard it when he opened the window. He was going to find out who was calling his name. She said nothing, though, because she knew how silly it sounded. She just followed Shifu outside and into the wooded area around the palace.

Shifu suddenly stopped, causing Tigress to almost run into him. His ears flicked. Tigress heard it too; the music. It was a sound unlike any she had heard. It was calming, soothing, yet eerily distant. Then, she recognized it as the "voice" she had heard earlier. It wasn't a voice at all, but its low sound had seemed to be calling "Po" every time it paused and started again on a different note. Shifu straightened up, one eyebrow raised and looking around for the source of the noise.

"Master…what is it?"

"…I don't know."

Shifu pointed his ears in all directions, trying to pinpoint the location of the sound, but it seemed to be coming from everywhere. He then heard the crunch of snow and damp leaves to his right. He quickly turned to see Po walking off in that direction, as if he knew where he was going.

"Panda! Come back here!"

Shifu darted after Po and stopped in front of him, but Po didn't seem to notice. In fact, he seemed to be oblivious to everything that was going on around him. He was sleepwalking! Tigress watched him in amazement. Po's steps were so sure, like he was awake and following a trail beaten into the forest floor. Tigress waved her paw in front of his face. Shifu motioned for her to stop.

"Let's not wake him. He might be leading us to the source of that music."

Shifu and Tigress followed Po through the forest. He didn't snore like he usually did when sleeping, making it seem like he was more in a trance than asleep. Po continued to walk for a long time, well into the night. Only when they came to a clearing did he stop. He swayed on his feet, but remained standing. Shifu and Tigress were hiding in the trees, keeping a close eye on him. The music was louder now, and it seemed like it really was calling Po's name in its low, mournful, and beautiful tones. Something glittered in the light of the moon, and it took Shifu a moment to realize what it was.

It was a dragon that closely resembled Lishun! The only difference was the dragon's color. It was completely white, from its sparkling whiskers and mane to its crystalline claws. Its serpentine body was coiled on a large, flat boulder covered with moss. Its eyes were closed and in its hands it held a large flute made from a piece of wide bamboo. It was long and green, with glimmering white opals around either end. What made this instrument truly unique, however, was the strange mouthpiece. The dragon blew into the side of the instrument like a normal flute, but the mouthpiece was curved down and outward, and protruded slightly from the flute. This allowed the dragon to put its mouth around the hole rather than blowing from the side. The tone resulting from this strange flute was low and mournful, stirring deep emotions. When Po had stopped in the center of the clearing, just a yard or so away from the dragon, the music stopped and the dragon opened its eyes.

They were clouded, yet the irises behind the white haze shone bright silver. This dragon was blind, and obviously very old. Po's eyes fluttered, then he lost balance and fell forward. He landed on his bad arm, causing him to yelp.

"Ow! Take it easy! That arm's broken, remember?" he snapped.

He fully opened his eyes and pushed himself up with his good arm. Only then did he become conscious of being outside, not in his room. He looked around sleepily, then saw the dragon. Fear crept its way onto his face and his mouth opened and closed as if to say something.

"You need not be afraid of me, friend. None of you need to fear me. Yes, I know you are here, Masters Shifu and Tigress," the dragon said, an elderly voice deep with age and light with kindness floating from his maw.

Po looked back at the entrance to the clearing, where Shifu and Tigress appeared from the trees. The great dragon put his flute down.

"I knew you would come, Po. You would not ignore the music of the Moon Flute easily, not even in your sleep."

The dragon chuckled gently at Po's confused expression.

"How did I get out here?"

"I called, and you came."

Po was still slightly muddled by the strange event, but he decided that his questions could wait.

"You look like Master Lishun, only you've gone white with age…" Shifu said, hobbling up to stand next to Po.

The dragon's expression turned into that of light amusement, the corners of his mouth turning upward just faintly.

"Ah, yes. I should look like him, for I am his brother. You may call me Xī Qŭ."

"You are Lishun's brother? I have only ever heard of him being an only child," Shifu said, his tone both befuddled and challenging.

"In his eyes, he was. I am no more like him than a mole is like a bird, and his sense of supremacy made him reject me as his brother. After he left to learn kung fu from the great Master Oogway, we never spoke to each other again. I felt the small part of me that was with him vanish when he was defeated, so I came to seek out the victor. The one called Nightshade will be guaranteed a safe passage home. As for the battle…"

The dragon uncoiled his body and stepped down from the boulder, his cat-like grace complimenting his serpentine flexibility. He leaned his head down to look Po in the eye, even though the dragon's eyesight had failed him long ago.

"I can glean images from the world around me, and it was my dependence on this that blinded me. I sought out not what I could see physically, because physical things lie. I learned to see with my mind, and have become one with the universe at the cost of my eyesight. However, because I can use my other senses to tell me the truth, I have learned of the devastation that the battle has caused you and your friends. I can see that you are a panda, for the whispers of the forest tell me so, and you are also the Dragon Warrior. How is it that you lost to my brother?"

Xī Qŭ's voice was not demanding of an answer, but gently questioning. This softness made Po less reluctant to reply.

"I wasn't skilled enough."

"Wrong."

"What?"

"You were plenty skilled enough. You just didn't know _how_ to use that skill. That is why you lost. Not because of lack of skill, but lack of knowledge. Now, I ask again, how is it that you lost to my brother?"

Po shook his head.

"I…I don't know."

"That is the right answer."

Xī Qŭ leaned closer to Po's face.

"Now that you know what you didn't know, could you beat Lishun?"

"I don't think so."

"Again, that is right answer."

Po was starting to get confused with all of these strange questions. The dragon chortled deep in his throat. He craned his head back.

"You would not defeat my brother, not because of lack of skill or knowledge, but because it wasn't meant to be. It was your destiny to defeat Tai Lung, but it was Nightshade's destiny to defeat Lishun."

Po's jaw dropped open.

"So…It really wasn't my fault! Oogway was right about me defeating Tai Lung, but he never said that I would beat everyone I had to fight!"

"Now you understand. As for you, Master Shifu…"

Xī Qŭ gracefully arched his neck to bring his head down to Shifu's level.

"You cannot blame yourself for what was meant to be. I know that Oogway has taught you this."

Shifu lowered his eyes.

"Yes…Yes, I know. But, Lishun—"

"—would have beaten Po anyway, no matter how much you believed in him. It is good of you to take Oogway's words to heart, but always believing doesn't mean you can change what is meant to be."

"What of Po's wounds, then? Were they meant to be, as well?"

"We all learn our lessons, even though we may not always enjoy the way we are taught."

"That was a rather cruel lesson, don't you think?"

"Yes, and it is because of this that I have called you here."

Xī Qŭ raised his head back up to Po's eye level.

"You have suffered for my brother's ignorance for far too long. The emotional scar will heal with time, but your physical pain will be no more."

Xī Qŭ turned around picked up his flute, closed his eyes and began to play a slow tune filled with mysterious tones and twisting notes. The wind swirled and lifted sparkling snowflakes from the ground. The air shimmered, as if summer heat were rising from a hot cobblestone road. The wind blew around Po's body, and picked up in intensity as the music rose higher in pitch. Po's fur ruffled in the cold air, and when the wind touched his skin, it made his wounds heal. The tears in his cheek healed and closed, leaving flawless skin and fur in its place. His black eye went back to normal, and his broken arm stopped aching. The cold wind wiped away the burns and bruises on his back. When the dragon's song reached its final, skin-tingling note, the wind died away. Po took his arm out of its sling and examined it, marveling at the magic that had just taken place. He flexed his fingers without pain, and bent his elbow without fail. He looked at the dragon with a wide-mouthed smile and bright eyes.

Shifu couldn't believe his eyes. He looked from the flute, to the dragon, to Po, then back to the flute.

"How did you—?"

"I am one with the universe, and can control the energy around me as well as I can the energy within me."

"Th-Thank you!" Po said, gratefulness filling his words.

Xī Qŭ chuckled and waved his claws.

"You need not thank me, Dragon Warrior. It was the least I could do to ease your suffering. It was my brother who ailed you, and now it his brother who has healed you. The yin has harmed you, but the yang has helped you."

Po looked up at the dragon with admiring eyes. Xī Qŭ gave Po a wise smile. The wind blew through the clearing and whirled around the dragon, swirling snow about his body.

"If ever you need assistance, just follow the music…"

And without another word, the dragon disappeared in a sparkling cloud of snow. The wind settled, and the three warriors were left alone in the clearing. Tigress opened her mouth, but was lost for words. The great Xī Qŭ was in every aspect a beautiful creature. She was amazed at how much the dragon reminded her of Master Oogway. Shifu must have thought the same thing, for he said, "He must be as old as--or older than--Master Oogway was…He's so…wise."

Po was still amazed at the magic that the dragon had performed on his wounds. He was so happy not to be in pain anymore.

"Come, Po. Let's go back to the palace."

Shifu took Po's elbow and led him away from the clearing. Tigress followed them back to the Jade Palace, wondering how the dragon had just disappeared.

The next morning, Po was sitting in his room and trying to lift a leaf, which he had dug out from under the snow, with wafts of air. He was failing miserably, because the leaf was heavy with moisture. All he could manage to do was make the leaf spin around. He grumbled with impatience.

"Why can't I do it? Shifu could, but he's had years of experience…"

Po sighed. He pushed himself up and stood at the door, ready to greet his master when he heard the patter of his feet on the floorboards. He listened to the thunder that rolled outside his window. A storm had snuck in during the night, after Po, Shifu and Tigress had returned to the palace. Rain was pattering on the walls, a chorus that rose and fell with the howling wind. Po continued to wait by his door. He heard nothing. Wondering if he had overslept again, he slid back the door and looked out. To his surprise, so were the Five. They were just as confused as he was. Crane looked at him with a questioning gaze.

"Does anyone know where Master Shifu is? He's late," Viper asked, concern etched into her voice.

Even Tigress looked worried.

"I heard him get up this morning, but he went outside. I thought he might have come back by now," she said.

Monkey and Mantis left their rooms and walked down the hall to where Shifu's room lay. They knocked on the door, but received silence from within.

"I don't think he's—"

There was a sudden bout of coughing that came from behind Shifu's door. Then, the door swung open and the small master stood in the doorway. His fur looked rough and ruffled, like he had been attacked.

"Master Shifu! Are you—"

"I'm fine, what is it you want?"

The sharpness in his tone made Monkey recoil.

"Uh…We were just wondering why you hadn't come out yet."

"I've come down with a little cold, that's all. You will just have to train without my guidance for the next few days. Spar with each other until I have recovered."

"…Yes, Master Shifu."

Monkey and Mantis returned to the others and told them the news.

"He's sick?" Po asked.

Monkey nodded.

"Yeah, and he look so good, either."

"Did he say what we should do?" Tigress asked.

"He told us to train and spar for the next few days. Same old routine, I guess," said Mantis.

"Well…Let's get started then."

The Five walked out of the building towards the dojo, but Po stayed behind.

"I'll catch up with you guys in a minute," he said.

Po wandered down the hall and stopped before Shifu's room. He heard the harsh coughing from within, and his spirits fell. Shifu really was sick. What if he didn't get better? Po slowly and quietly opened the door to Shifu's room.

"Master? Would you like some tea or—?"

Po's eyes widened at the sight of the blood. Shifu had been coughing into a handkerchief, and flecks of blood were spattered on the pale brown cloth. Shifu quickly crumpled the cloth in his hand before turning to Po.

"Um, yes…Yes, I would like some tea…please."

Shifu didn't turn around, but rather stood with his back to Po and his ears half poised. Po didn't ask anymore questions, but as he made his way to the kitchen, he couldn't help but feel panicked by the sight of Shifu coughing up blood. A cold doesn't do that to you, so Shifu must have come down with something much worse.

Po put a kettle on the stove and started to boil the water for the tea. As he rummaged around in the pantry for the tea leaves, his hand brushed something smooth and round. Curious, he wrapped his fingers around it and pulled it down from the shelf. He had grabbed hold of the end of a scroll. The rods that the paper was rolled around were made of bright white ebony. Po looked around for anyone who might be watching, then unrolled the scroll.

Written on the scroll were strange symbols painted with glittering gold ink. At first, Po couldn't read what they had said, but slowly, he began to understand. The strange characters were mostly circles with small patters on the inside. He recognized one from a stone carving that his father had collected from a riverbank.

"Water…"

Po squinted at the scroll, quietly voicing the symbols to himself.

"The…water runs…clear…where the…music runs slow…Eternity waits…for the souls of…valiant warriors…Fear not the darkness…for the light waits within…Beware the gold…but honor the…white…Relief awaits…the patient at heart? What is this, a riddle?"

He turned the scroll over to look for an answer. Riddle books usually had the answer written upside down at the bottom, but there was no answer to this one. Po repeated the riddle.

"The water runs clear where the music runs slow. Eternity waits for the souls of valiant warriors. Fear not the darkness, for the light waits within. Beware the gold, but honor the white. Relief awaits the patient at heart…"

The kettle started to whistle, startling Po out of his thoughts. He quickly retrieved the howling kettle and set it on an unheated part of the stove. He put the scroll back on the shelf, its words still echoing in his mind, and found the tea leaves close by. After putting a couple of leaves in the boiling water, Po grabbed a thick cloth and took the handle of the kettle in one hand. He opened the cabinets and searched around for the teacups. After finally finding one, he walked back to Shifu's room and poured the green tea into the small cup. Shifu took the cup and thanked Po for the tea.

"Be careful! It's still really hot!" Po warned.

Shifu set the cup down next to his bed. He had a sorrowful look in his eyes, but a thankful smile on his lips.

"Thank you again, Po."

Shifu started hacking and reached for his kerchief. He turned to face the wall and coughed into the cloth. Again, Po saw the blood that speckled the cloth.

"Master…What's _really_ wrong with you?"

Shifu looked over at Po, and was surprised to see a stern, concerned expression that made the panda's soft face look fierce. Shifu sighed.

"I have an illness of the lungs. I fear it may be the end of me."

Po's eyes widened with surprise.

"You mean…You mean you're _dying_?" he asked.

"I just may be. I've seen this sickness before, and no one I know has been able to live through it. My parents died from it, and now it seems like I will, too."

Po looked down at his feet.

"…I'm sorry."

Shifu chuckled weakly.

"You have nothing to be sorry for. You have made me proud, Po. You and the Five."

Po returned his gaze to Shifu's grinning face.

"Then, will you at least allow me to make sure you're comfortable?"

"I am comfortable, so long as I know that my students will continue their journeys in my memory."

"I wouldn't dream of anything else, Master."

Po turned to leave Shifu to his rest. He glanced back at his master as he started to cough again. He sadly left to tell the others the bad news.

"He's _dying_?"

Tigress had been training with Crane, but as soon as she heard about Shifu's coming demise, she had stopped instantly.

"Yeah, he said he has an illness of the lungs…"

Tigress looked at the others.

"We've got to do something!"

"Tigress…There's nothing we can do," Viper said sadly. "I knew someone who had come down with a similar disease, but they didn't make it. We tried everything we could, but nothing worked. Eventually, we just had to accept that it was their time, and we just tried to make them feel as well as possible."

Tigress looked away from the others. She began to walk out of the dojo.

"Tigress? Where are you going?" Viper called after her.

"To think…"

The others watched her leave. Po wanted to make her feel better, but he knew that at this point, it would be like trying to move a mountain. His thoughts began to wander back to the scroll he had found, and wondered if, maybe, it might hold the secret to helping Shifu.

"Relief awaits the patient at heart…"

Po suddenly rushed back to the kitchen, startling the remaining four.

"Po? Where—?"

"I'll be right back!"

Po reached up to the shelf on which the scroll sat. He unrolled it and read it again. Then, he hurried back to the dojo.

"I think this might be the thing we need to help Shifu!"


	6. Final Chapter

**The Eldest Pupil-A Kung Fu Panda Fanfiction**

**I do not own Kung Fu Panda or any of its characters. The only ones I own are those not mentioned in the movie.**

"What is it?"

Viper looked at the unrolled scroll in Po's hands.

"It's a riddle, I think."

"How can you read this? I don't understand this language…," said Mantis.

"You can't read it?"

"No, not at all."

Po stared at the scroll with a perplexed look on his face.

"I can read it, but you can't? That's weird. Well, I'll read it to you, then…'The water runs clear where the music runs slow. Eternity waits for the souls of greedy warriors. Fear not the darkness, for the light waits within. Beware the gold, but honor the white. Relief awaits the patient at heart.'"

"The water runs clear where the music runs slow? What music?"

Po thought for a minute. Then it hit him.

"Xī Qŭ!"

"Who?" Monkey looked at Po like he was crazy.

"The white dragon! Lishun's brother!"

"What are you talking about?" asked Viper.

Po explained his encounter with the wise old dragon.

"So, Lishun has a brother who plays a flute…," Mantis asked, sounding a little disbelieving.

"It's true! Tigress and Master Shifu were there with me!"

"Tigress was with you?"

"Yeah, I think they followed me out there when Xī Qŭ was calling for me."

Po reread the scroll again.

"'Beware the gold, but honor the white'…It might be referring to Lishun and Xī Qŭ. But…Lishun is dead…"

Po thought carefully about this, then nodded to himself.

"Yeah, he's dead, so what 'gold' are we supposed to beware? Hmm…well, moving on…'Fear not the darkness, for the light waits within.' What do you guys make of that?"

Monkey and Mantis looked at Crane when he spoke.

"Maybe this Xī Qŭ is hiding in a cave somewhere?"

"Maybe…"

Po, Mantis, Monkey, Crane and Viper muddled over this new mystery while Tigress sat beneath the Sacred Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom. She overlooked the small mountain peaks below, lost in her thoughts.

_First my parents, then the Dragon Scroll, and now Shifu. How many things do I have to lose to prove myself?_

She sighed.

"Maybe I'm just not meant to amount to anything…"

"You amount to plenty."

Tigress snapped her head around to see Po making his way up the stairs. He had a white scroll in one hand.

"You amount to everything I can't," he said with a smile.

"But you're the Dragon Warrior, you've already surpassed me," Tigress said, looking away.

"No. In skill, I couldn't surpass you."

"You beat me two days ago, how can you—"

"I only beat you because I know enough about my own body to use it against you. If _I_ were a tiger with my current knowledge of kung fu, I couldn't stand a chance against you."

Tigress was silent. Po came up to her and put a hand on her shoulder.

"I know you're much better than me."

She cast him a wary glance. He removed his hand from her shoulder and began to walk away. As he walked, he said, "By the way, we might be able to help Shifu."

This caught her attention.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"When you hear the music, just follow me."

With that, Po left. Tigress mulled over his words, trying to understand what he meant.

For the next few days, Shifu remained in his room. He knew that the disease was contagious, and he didn't want to spread it to his students. Po was the only one he allowed in his room, and that was so he could bring tea. Shifu looked out his window and coughed into his handkerchief. He had to wash it often to keep the cloth clean. The early days of spring were upon them, and the peach tree was blossoming beautifully. His students had been busy training during his days of illness, and it made him happy to see everyone getting along. It had been several days since he and Tigress had followed Po into the forest and met Xī Qŭ. He wondered if the dragon couldn't heal him like he had healed Po. He hadn't heard the dragon's music since then, however, and it made him believe that Xī Qŭ may have left the mountains in favor of other lands. Shifu sighed and lay back down on the pillows that Po had insisted Shifu have. They were large, fluffy pillows that were quite soft and comfortable. Shifu didn't mind having them as much as he had thought he would. He fell asleep in the early evening hours, just as the sun was beginning to set.

There came that low tone, drifting in through the window. Po had stayed awake every night since finding the scroll in the kitchen, so that he would be ready when he should hear the dragon's song again. It had been almost a week since his first meeting with Xī Qŭ, and he had begun to think that the dragon would never return to help him. It was absolute bliss when Po heard the music rising beautifully on the wind. He heard nothing but the swaying of the grass and the dragon's flute.

He crept out of his room and visited each of the Five. They nodded to each other in silent understanding, then, one by one, they came together and followed Po out into the night. The panda held the scroll firmly in his hands as he followed the sound of the music. Crane, Viper, Mantis and Monkey listened intently to the gentile melody, hearing it for the first time. Xī Qŭ was calling to all of them. The dragon knew that they needed his guidance.

As the warriors walked through the forest, they kept alert for anything that might jump out of the darkness. Po walked carefully, allowing the song to guide his feet to the wise old dragon. They walked for a long time, and even Po was beginning to think that maybe he was just leading the Five in a circle. He was about to accept this and give up when a shining white speck appeared in the forest. He grew excited when he saw distant scales. The music rose with his mood.

"There! Do you see him? There in the trees!"

As they edged closer, the Five could make out a serpentine body that glittered with bright moonlight. Po walked faster, the music getting louder as he came closer. Soon, the group burst through the trees and arrived at the same clearing that Po had stood in nearly a week ago. The five masters was awestruck at the sight of the dragon, even Tigress, who had seen him before. She thought he was the most beautiful being that she had ever laid eyes on. Xī Qŭ played one final note before letting the music die away, its echo resounding through the forest.

"You seek my guidance, warriors of Shifu…" he said in his low, elderly voice.

The Five knelt and paid respects to the dragon.

"Master," they said in unison.

"There is no need to call me by that title, young warriors. I am no master of yours."

The Five rose, Po still standing in front of them. The panda lifted the scroll towards Xī Qŭ.

"Do you know what this is?" he asked the dragon.

In a flash of movement, the dragon dashed from his perch on the boulder and stood in front of Po. He took the scroll and opened it. This was when the Five realized he was blind, and wondered at how he could possibly read the runes. In a low, barely audible voice, the dragon asked, "Where did you find this?"

"It was in the kitchen at the Jade Palace. I found it on the top shelf."

"So this is what my brother was after…"

"Whuh?"

Xī Qŭ leaned forward and whispered in Po's ear:

"This is the _real_ Dragon Scroll."

Po took a step back.

"But…But the one Shifu gave me—"

"—was a false scroll. It was blank and reflective in the scroll for a reason. Yes, it was meant for the real Dragon Warrior, but it symbolizes that you were destined to find the real Dragon Scroll. Oogway knew this, so he made the false Dragon Scroll in hopes that the Dragon Warrior would find the real one to help save the life of one of his pupils. I see now just who it was he wanted to save…"

"Master Shifu…"

"Yes. Oogway told me of a vision he had long, long ago. It was of a future pupil of his, and that this pupil will not only train the Dragon Warrior, but be saved by the Dragon Warrior as well. It was your destiny to defeat Tai Lung, and now it is your destiny to save Shifu once more."

Xī Qŭ rolled the scroll back up and handed it to Po.

"It only makes sense that you are the only one who can read it, aside from me. I wrote that scroll myself."

Po took the scroll from the dragon.

"So, can you help us?"

"I can, but you will have to move quickly. Time is running out for Master Shifu…"

"What do we have to do?"

"You must seek out the light."

Xī Qŭ picked up his flute and began to play a melancholy melody. Po suddenly felt like he'd been slapped in the back of his head, and from the surprised gasps of the Five, they were experiencing the same thing. Images flashed through Po's mind.

_A long and winding river; a water fall; a mountain of jet black stone…The water was so clear, that one could see the smooth, black pebbles that littered the riverbed. A strange music, slow yet uplifting, played above that of the dragon's flute. The waterfall poured from a cave high in the black mountain. The mountain had an air of evil, of darkness and bad memories. It struck fear into the hearts of all who witnessed its timeless beauty._

The images stopped pouring into Po's head, and he was able to focus his eyes on the dragon, who had stopped playing his flute. He looked at the six warriors with a determined face.

"You must go to the Black Spire, and enter the cave atop the waterfall. You will meet challenges along the way that will test your skills as well as your mentality. Heed the scroll's warning, and you will make a safe journey. Ignore its riddles, and you will fail."

Xī Qŭ lifted the flute to his mouth, closed his sightless eyes, and began to play a strong, powerful song. An urgent wind whirled around the six pupils of Shifu, and then they disappeared into nothingness.

"I bid you safe passage, for I can do no more for you, warriors of Shifu…"

The six found themselves transported to a hidden valley within a mountain pass. There was the black mountain that Xī Qŭ had referred to as the Black Spire. Its jagged peaks and black stone made it look quite frightening, and the stagnant air filled with negative feelings didn't help to make the warriors any less intimidated.

"Fear not the darkness, for the light waits within…What we're looking for is inside that mountain," said Po, looking up at the dark spire looming over them. Despite the mountain's formidable appearance and frightening air, the landscape around it was quite beautiful and peaceful. Long grass grew here and swayed in an unfelt breeze. The water made a steady trickling sound as it babbled from the pool around the waterfall. The water sparkled brilliantly in the light of the crescent moon, which rested atop the dark mountain. The stars twinkled as if nothing were amiss.

Po gulped and started walking toward the mountain. The Five hesitated, but soon started to follow him. The life of their master was worth every bit of their effort. Po felt the weight of the mountain looming over him, urging him to run far away from this forgotten place. He continued to walk along the river, following it up to the base of the mountain, where the ground became rocky and grass only grew in sparse patches. When they came to the waterfall, it was at first unclear as to how they would reach the cave at the top. The ground suddenly began to rumble, and the ground cracked around Po's feet. He jumped back, and revealed that the cracks were forming a square in the ground. The rumbling stopped when one final crack split the square in half. Up from the ground pushed two orbs, a gold one, and a white one. They lifted from the ground and hovered in the air in front of Po. The air became tense as the music from the vision began to play from deep underground. Then, Po heard a loud, booming voice within his head.

_Dragon Warrior…Here, you have two orbs. One will turn your mission upside down; the other will allow you to step forth into the Black Spire. Choose wisely…_

"Beware the gold, but honor the white…"

Po took hold of the white orb, and a sense of relief filled him. The air lost its tension and eerie feeling, and was instead replaced by a warming calm. The still air became breezy and light.

_You have chosen well. Step forth…_

The voice echoed in his head as the ground opened up before him. The music was louder, now that the ground had opened its doors. A set of black stairs led down into an even blacker darkness. Po took one step, then another. He cautiously continued down the stairs, and when Crane was the last to step in, the light of the outside world was snuffed out as the ground closed behind them.

"Everyone hold hands so we don't lose each other!" Tigress said, her voice ringing in the darkness.

Po felt Tigress's paw grasp his own. Monkey took Tigress's other hand, and Mantis hopped onto his shoulder. Crane reached out a wing and grabbed Monkey's other hand, while Viper slithered onto his back. She wrapped the end of her tail around Crane's neck and said, "Okay, I'm ready!"

"We're ready," Monkey called.

"Me too," said Crane.

"Let's go," Tigress whispered. She didn't like the sound of her voice echoing through the mountain.

Po took a tentative step forward. He felt the train of warriors shift behind him in unison with his footsteps. They carefully walked down the stairs, relying on Po to guide them. The music drew them ever deeper into the mountain. After what felt like hours of walking down stairs, Po felt level ground beneath his feet. He poked around with one foot to make sure that there were no drop offs, and after confirming that there were none, he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Let's rest for a minute, guys. I think we've reached the bottom."

Po and the others sat down, still clinging to one another for support. They had to trust in each other to know when everyone stood up or moved. If they were to lose anyone, they could get lost here forever and Master Shifu would die before his time.

After catching their breath for a moment, the six stood up as one and continued on their journey through the inky blackness that surrounded them. Po yelped with surprise when he bumped his nose into a wall. Everyone fell backwards on top of one another. Po scrambled to get up.

"Sorry! My fault! Is everyone okay?

Mumbled words of acknowledgment told him that everyone was alright. He groped for someone's hand in the darkness and found Tigress's once again. Everyone managed to find each other again, and they stood in line like they had been. Po felt around on the wall until he found an indention. It was round and smooth. He took the white orb that he was still holding and pressed it into the indention. The orb began to glow slightly; giving the group enough light to see what was in the ancient hall. The light seemed bright to their blinded eyes, but once they adjusted, they could see runes etched into the wall. They were the same kind of runes that were on the scroll. They arched over the indention that held the orb. Po read them aloud to the Five.

"Here you will find…A poison most lethal…caution to those who…succumb to their weakness."

The wall split down the center and opened outward like a door. The brilliance of the light within made the group cry out in shock. They shielded their eyes from the bright, shimmering light. When their eyes adjusted, they beheld a room filled with golden treasures and gems. They walked into the cavernous room, jaws agape at the sight they beheld. Po noticed that the walls were covered with runes. He wouldn't be able to read them all, though. His mind was elsewhere. In the center of the cavern sat a single table made entirely of jade. He walked over to the table while the others looked around at the amazing hoard of treasures. On the table was a shiny green key, which appeared to be made out of emerald. The booming voice in Po's head returned.

_Take the key, and nothing else, for removing even the slightest object from the room will upset the natural balance…_

Po grabbed the key and shouted, "Hey! Let's get out of here! Don't take anything with you, or something bad will happen!"

The Five regrouped and met Po in the middle of the room.

"Okay, let's go. This place is starting to give me the creeps…"

Po led the Five to a door at the very end of the cavern. He put the key in the lock and turned it. The door opened with a click and swung outward into another hallway, but this one was dimly lit compared to the treasure room. Torches were lit in the corridor and burned with a violet light. When they stepped out of the room, the ground began to rumble. Po looked around, and saw that Monkey had a gold coin stuck in the hem of his shorts.

"Monkey! There's a coin in your shorts!"

"What?"

Monkey looked down.

"Uh oh."

"Quick! Throw it back before this place comes crashing down on us!" Viper shouted.

Monkey took the coin and heaved it back into the room. The moment the coin landed in the floor, the rumbling stopped and dust fell from above.

"Is it over?" Monkey asked, looking up.

"I hope so. Let's keep moving before we make any other mistakes," said Tigress. Po followed the hallway with the Five right behind him. The door slammed shut behind them and left the group in relative darkness, save for the violet torches. Po looked at each one that he passed, wondering why they didn't heat the hallway. They walked for some time before they reached another door. This one, however, had no runes, no key holes, nothing, but a small metal slat. Po pulled the slat back, and found a strange mechanism behind it. There was a riddle on it, and then a set of rotating bars with letters on them. Po read the riddle to the group.

"None shall pass this solid door, and cursed you'll be forevermore. If you can, I dare you tell, the name of the one who ails body and soul."

"I think it wants us to enter Shifu's name with these letters…" said Tigress, stepping up to the door. With one claw, she carefully spun each block until it reached the letter she needed, the blocks clicking as they turned. When she put in the last letter, something clanked within the door and it swung open. Inside was another brilliantly lit room. It wasn't gold, but pale blue. This room was dwarfed in size compared to the last one. In the center of the room was a glowing fountain; the source of the light. Streaks of blue danced on the cave's ceiling as the water ripples moved about on the surface. The group broke up and circled the beautiful fountain. The voice in Po's head once again spoke.

_This is the Fountain of Healing Wisdom, but its waters can only be captured by the ivory cup._

"Ivory cup…?"

Po looked around, and saw a thousand or so white cups hanging from the walls. They were all hung by their handles and each one had a different design. The group looked perplexed.

"W-Which one is it?" Mantis asked, looking around wildly from cup to cup.

Po looked calmly around him. He knew that none of these cups were made of ivory. They were all China. He looked at the fountain, and saw that the water bubbled out of the top, yet the bottom of the top piece seemed detached from the rest of the fountain, which flowed seamlessly as if it had been carved from one piece of white stone. Po reached up, noticing that the water shied away from his hands as he grabbed the top of the fountain. He lifted the top right off, and the water continued to bubble from the second piece. The piece that Po held looked like an elaborate goblet, styled the same way as the rest of the fountain. He held it carefully, as there was still water in it. The water looked clear as crystal, and shimmered like a flawless diamond.

"This is the cup. It was part of the fountain to confuse us," Po said, staring down at the water with awed eyes. The Five examined the water, marveling at how they couldn't touch it. The water was so infused with magic, that it moved away whenever they tried to touch its crystal surface. Po heard that voice in his head again, this time, less booming.

_Follow the music…_

Po had completely forgotten about the music the drifted around them. He looked around, but saw no doors of any kind. They were surrounded by the thousands of cups that hung on the walls. Po felt himself being drawn to the left, toward the music. It pulled gently at him, urging his feet to walk in that direction. He closed his eyes and focused on the melody, which now sounded joyful and fast. He could feel the presence of the mountain's wall in front of his nose, but he continued to walk.

"What are you doing, Po? You're going to run into the wall!" Viper hissed.

But Po did not hit the wall. Instead, he passed right through it. Startled gasps echoed through the cave as Po disappeared through the wall. Tigress walked up to the wall Po had walked through. She put her hand on the smooth stone, and was surprised to find that she passed right through it. She pressed through the illusion and emerged beside Po, who was staring blankly up at something. The room they had entered was filled with a golden light, and on a high pillar in the center of the cavern, lay a white dragon.

"Xī Qŭ…" she muttered as the other four filed in through the wall. The dragon played a flute that was different from Xī Qŭ's however. It was made of gold, and had diamonds set into the body of the instrument. The music was smoother than what Xī Qŭ's bamboo flute played. Po shook his head.

"No, this isn't Xī Qŭ…"

Tigress looked at him.

"How can you tell?"

"I…I don't know…but I feel it. I feel it in my gut that this isn't Xī Qŭ."

Tigress looked from Po to the dragon, which had the same shining white scales as the wise old dragon they had met in the forest. Po took a step forward, the cup of water in his hands. As soon as he stepped forth, the music stopped. The dragon opened its eyes, which seemed to be made of pure light. They glowed with a shining white brilliance. The dragon swished his tail and smiled down at the six intruders. In the same voice that had echoed in Po's head so many times, the dragon spoke.

"I am Liàng. For many a century, I have waited here in my mountain for the Dragon Warrior. He of valiant mind and caring heart, who would come to save a pupil of Oogway's. I knew you would come one day."

"You're the one who was in my head!" Po burst out. The others looked at him like he was crazy.

"Yes, I was speaking to you through your mind, to guide you to me."

"Can you save Shifu?"

"Not I, but the water you hold in your hands. That water will cure any ailment of the body or mind. But you must hurry back, now. I sense that Shifu's light is close to being snuffed out…"

"How will we get back in time?" Tigress questioned, worry filling her voice.

"Through the mystery of the mind."

"I can't take anymore of these riddles!" Viper said. "They're making my head hurt!"

The dragon chuckled warmly.

"I will transport you home. Relief awaits the patient at heart."

Po remembered reading those words on the scroll.

"What do we have to wait for?"

"You will see."

There was a sudden rise in temperature. Liàng leaped down from his perch high above the group.

"You must trust me."

Po nodded to the dragon. If he could save Shifu by trusting Liàng, then he would trust him with his life. The others nodded in unison, indicating their trust as well. Liàng opened his mouth, and before the six warriors knew what was happening, he spewed a jet of white flames over them. Po attempted to shield his face from the heat, but no heat came. The air became cool, and the flames surrounded them in a white dome. The six looked around, unable to see what was going on. Before they knew it, they found themselves in the clearing where Xī Qŭ had been. The dragon had long gone, and the sun was bright in the noonday sun. Po and the others ran as fast as they could back to the palace, Po being careful not to spill any of the water in the cup.

They entered the hall to Shifu's room and quietly stood outside his door. Po slid the door back to reveal Shifu on his bed, fast asleep. His breathing was shallow and labored. Po slowly tiptoed in and stood next to Shifu's bed.

"Master? Master Shifu, wake up."

"Hmm?"

Shifu started to cough violently. He held the handkerchief up to his mouth. The bleeding was getting worse. He opened his eyes to a slit and looked up at Po.

"Oh, Po…How nice to see you. I see you've brought the Five."

"Yes Master, and something to help you feel better, too. Here, drink this…"

Po held the cup up to Shifu's lips and carefully poured the water into his mouth. Shifu drank every last drop of the water, and let out a tired sigh.

"That was the purest water I've ever tasted. Where did you get it?"

"From the Fountain of Healing Wisdom."

At this, Shifu's eyes widened and stared at the six warriors with clear disbelief.

"The Fountain of…How? How did you even learn of—"

"Why didn't you tell me the Dragon Scroll was a fake?"

Shifu's eyes lowered, and a slight smile stretched across his face.

"You really are the Dragon Warrior, then. I assume you could read the symbols?"

Po nodded.

"Then Xī Qŭ really did help you when you needed it most. Thank you, thank you all."

Shifu fell silent and closed his eyes. His breathing wasn't as labored, but still shallow. Po and the Five left Shifu's room and retired to their own. They were weary from their long trek into the mystical Black Spire. But at least they were home at last.

Several more days passed, and Shifu slowly recovered. Po and the Furious Five were training in the dojo when the doors creaked open. There stood their master, in all his glory. He had a smile on his face and looked proudly at each of his students as they rushed forward to greet him.

"Master," said the six in unison.

"My students…Without you, I would not be here, right now. Again, thank you all for not giving up on me."

"We would never give up on you," said Po.

"I would expect as much from the Dragon Warrior."

Later that night, Po sat in his room with Oogway's broken staff in his hands. He was trying to think of the best way to fix it before giving it back to Shifu, as a little "welcome back" gift. He then heard that soothing music again. He had heard it many a night that week, but he had resisted the urge to follow it. Now, it did not pull at him, but made him sleepy. It lulled him like a lullaby, making his eyelids feel like lead. He quickly fell asleep without question.

When he awoke, it was just before sunrise. He yawned and rubbed his eyes sleepily. Po focused his gaze on the staff that lay in his floor, and was surprised to see the two halves were whole again. There was no sign of the breakage point, where the twisted wood had been frayed like rope. It was seamlessly put back together.

"Thanks Xī Qŭ," Po whispered to himself. He hurriedly picked up the staff and wandered down the hall. The sun was barely starting to peek between the mountains, bathing them in a red glow. Po stopped outside Shifu's door and knocked, hearing Shifu's shuffling feet within. When his master opened the door, Po presented to him the fully repaired staff.

"Master, you said you wanted this back, and I wanted to return it in better shape than it had been given to me. Xī Qŭ fixed it."

Shifu took the staff and stared down at it, examining the point at which it had been broken before. He was astonished by how perfectly it was put back together. He smiled up at Po.

"Thank you, Po. This means a lot to me."

Shifu and Po walked up to the Sacred Hall of Warriors during those early morning hours. Shifu placed the staff on the altar honoring Oogway's memory. Po looked around at the perfectly restored hall. Xī Qŭ had done an excellent job at restoring the hall to its former glory. The cracked pillars and walls were seamless again, and the scattered weapons had been put back in their proper places. Shifu looked awed at this as well.

"The dragon has outdone himself," he muttered. Po just chuckled.

"I think I'll have to agree with you on that one."

Shifu helped his students train hard that day, though he still felt something was amiss. He didn't know what it was…His coughing had vanished, and his body felt renewed. Even his limp was gone, but something still nagged at the back of his mind, telling him all was not well, and it usually arose when he looked at Po. Even though the panda seemed to be back to his usual self, something strange glimmered in his eyes when he trained. Shifu would have to wait for an explanation later, for Tigress, Crane, Viper, Mantis and Monkey were getting ready to ambush him…


	7. Viewers Poll

**Viewer's Poll!**

**Hey all! This is Kronosdragon, and as you who have read this fanfic know, there are a few OC's in here. I want to have a viewer's poll to see who you think should return in the sequel to save Po from a looming danger! Here are your candidates!**

**Master Phoenix**

**Master Kirin**

**Nightshade**

**Xī Qŭ**

**OR**

**If you would like one of the original characters to help Po, just give me the name of the character.**

**All answers should be entered as reviews.**

**Thank you!**


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